No Cain Do – Cubs 1 Giants 5

After an excellent start to the four-game series against the Giants, the Cubs could not complete the sweep on Sunday afternoon behind Randy Wells. The Cubs’ offense managed three hits against Matt Cain in eight dominant innings … and one of the three was a double by Randy Wells. The Cubs showed little to no patience against Matt Cain. They swung at too many first pitches, worked only three three-ball counts, walked twice, both in the eighth inning and stuck out eight times against Matt Cain.

Matt Cain set a new career high with his 14th win on Sunday and improved to 5-2 in his career against the Cubs.

The Cubs lone run came with two outs in the ninth inning. Jeff Baker doubled to left on a 2-2 pitch from Sergio Romo. Bobby Scales followed with his second triple of the year on a 3-2 pitch from Romo. Baker scored and Bruce Bochy went to his pen.

Koyie Hill walked against Jeremy Affeldt and put runners on first and third with two outs. Brian Wilson struck out pinch-hitter Reed Johnson to end the game.

For the first time on the road trip, the Cubs’ pitching staff allowed more than three runs in a single game on Sunday afternoon.

Randy Wells struggled with his command early on, gave up single runs in the first two innings then lost the game in the sixth. Wells settled down after the second but the rookie right-hander appears out of gas … the Cubs should really think about shutting him down for the last week of the season. Wells gave up five runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings with two walks and a strikeout.

Sean Marshall allowed an inherited runner to score, the Giants’ fifth and final run of the game. Jeff Stevens and Justin Berg combined for 2 1/3 innings of scoreless ball to finish the game.

Eli Whiteside had one of his best games of the season. The Giants’ catcher drove in two of his team’s five runs with a pair of doubles in four trips to the plate. The weak-hitting Whiteside had driven in eight runs on the year before Sunday and both doubles were his first two-baggers of the season.

With the loss, the Cubs finished the 10-game trip with a 6-4 record (and a 37-44 road mark in 81 games this year) and are on the brink of officially being eliminated in the NL Wild Card.

After outscoring the Giants 12-4 and out hitting the Giants 28-12 in the first three games, the Giants scored more runs on Sunday than in the first three games combined … and salvaged the final game of the series.

Eugenio Velez and Fred Lewis reached on back-to-back singles on Randy Wells’ first two pitches of the game. Randy Winn attempted to sacrifice both runners into scoring position but ended up grounding out to short on a 3-2 pitch … with both Velez and Lewis running.

Randy Wells intentionally walked Pablo Sandoval to load the bases with one out.

Juan Uribe hit a tailor-made double play ball to Aramis Ramirez on a 1-0 pitch but Ramirez hesitated before throwing to second. Sandoval was forced for the second out but Jeff Baker’s throw was late to first. Velez scored the first run of the game. John Bowker grounded out to second to end the inning.

The Giants jumped on Randy Wells once again in the second. Travis Ishikawa singled to center on Wells’ first pitch. Eli Whiteside then doubled over Sam Fuld’s head in center. Ishikawa scored … 2-0 Giants.

After the second inning, Randy Wells settled down but Matt Cain was dominant against an overly aggressive Cubs’ offense.

The Giants put the game away in the sixth.

Travis Ishikawa led off the inning with a single to right center. Bruce Bochy called for the hit and run and Eli Whiteside delivered. Whiteside doubled down the left field line on a 0-1 pitch from Wells. Ishikawa scored, 3-0 Giants.

Matt Cain sacrificed Whiteside to third and with the infield in, Eugenio Velez singled to right past a drawn-in Jake Fox. Whiteside scored, 4-0 Giants and Randy Wells gave way to Sean Marshall.

Andres Torres pinch-hit for Fred Lewis and struck out. Randy Winn singled to left center with two outs. With runners on first and second with two outs, Pablo Sandoval singled to left on a 2-2 pitch. Velez scored, 5-0 Giants and Jeff Stevens replaced Sean Marshall.

Jeff Stevens retired Juan Uribe on a fly out to right to end the inning.